Semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor structure is formed of nitrides of group III metals having wurtzite crystal structure and grown in vapor phase on a (0001) oriented semiconductor substrate. The structure comprises a bottom cladding layer, a top cladding layer, and a diffusion region positioned between the cladding layers for diffusing light propagating within the semiconductor structure. The diffuse region has refractive index different from those of the cladding layers and non-flat surfaces for providing light diffusing interfaces between the diffusion region and the cladding layers. According to the invention, the diffusion region comprises a plurality of diffusion layers, compositions and thicknesses of said diffusion layers having been chosen to avoid formation of strain-induced dislocations in the diffusion region, and adjacent diffusion layers having different refractive indices in order to further enhance the diffusion efficiency.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates in general to a semiconductor structure withenhanced light diffusion capability to be used as a part of a lightemitting device. More particularly, the semiconductor structure isformed of nitrides of group III metals with wurtzite crystal structureand grown in vapor phase on a (0001) oriented substrate, formed eitherof the semiconductor structure materials or of foreign materials. Theinvention also relates to a method of manufacturing such structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Design of a semiconductor structure for light emitting diodes influenceson overall efficiency of the diodes through two main parameters:efficiency of conversion of electrical power to optical power in lightgeneration region and efficiency of emission of light generated in thisregion from the structure. In a light emitting structure made ofnitrides of group III metals grown in vapor phase on foreign substratewith refractive index less than that of the structure materials, asignificant part of generated light propagates inside the structure dueto reflection on structure/substrate and structure/ambient interfaces.Only a part of light propagating within a certain critical angle,defined by Snell's law and related to the surface normal direction,leave the structure through the structure surface. This critical angledepends on refractive indices of structure material and substrate andambient materials. Due to a significant difference in these refractiveindices between the substrate (e.g., ≈1.8 for sapphire) and the ambient(e.g., ≈1.5 for typical encapsulating resins), as compared to thestructure materials (≈2.5-3), this critical angle is relatively small.Up to two thirds of light can propagate in structure layers, serving aswaveguide. In light emitting diode chips, this light is potentiallycapable to exit via chip sides. However, because of the many lossmechanisms present in the structure layers and electrodes, most of thislight is lost before exiting chip sides. Because of this, the efficiencyof light emission from the structure is significantly decreased,resulting in decreased overall device efficiency.

A number of methods including ex-situ technological operationsconstitute a significant part of the patents devoted to the problem. Onemethod for improving capability of light to be emitted from thestructure is to shape light emitting surface into a hemisphere. Thismethod is disclosed by Scifres and Burnham in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,534and includes formation of hemispherical depressions on a substrate withsubsequent growth of semiconductor layers over the substrate andremoving the substrate away. Another solution is disclosed by Krames andKish Jr. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,924. It is suggested to increasetransmission of total optical power from the structure to ambient byfabricating ordered interface texturing. This texturing reduces Fresnelreflection at the interface between the structure and ambient andincrease the critical angle, propagating within which light can leavethe structure through the surface. Kish Jr. and Stockman in U.S. Pat.No. 5,793,062 suggested inserting non-absorbing distributed Braggreflectors inside the structure designed to redirect light away fromabsorbing regions such as contacts within the chip. In fact, it is hardto grow laterally patterned distributed Bragg reflectors in case ofnitrides of group III metals. Gardner et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,057B1 disclose a light emitting device, in which improved light diffusionis provided by texturing of the substrate surface, or structure surface,or one of internal structure interfaces. The invention also suggestsusing an optional polarization selection layer that polarizes thephotons emitted by the active region. The polarization selection layercan be wire grid polarizer and may be formed on a side of the substrateopposite the device layers. A wire grid polarizer reflects photons of apolarization that is parallel to the wires, and transmits photons of apolarization that is perpendicular to the wires. The combination of thewire grid polarizer and reflecting texturing surface should recyclephotons until they achieve a certain polarization. As already mentioned,one common disadvantage of these methods is that, although they canprovide effective light diffusion, they require a number of ex-situoperations resulting in complicated manufacturing process.

Several in situ methods have also been suggested. Krames et al. in U.S.Pat. No. 6,649,440 B1 disclose an in situ method of making a lightemitting device with improved light extraction efficiency. The methodutilizes a thick multi-layered epitaxial structure that increases thelight extraction efficiency from the device. The multi-layered structuredoes not absorb the light, and its increased thickness allows lighttrapped within a waveguide to escape the light emitting device throughthe sides of the structure with fewer reflections, thus avoiding lightlosses in active region and electrodes. A disadvantage of the method isthat the multi-layered structure must be much thicker than lightemitting region to provide significant improvement of light extractionfrom the device, thus resulting in significantly higher growth time andcost of such structure, as compared to conventional structures. Besides,thick multi-layered structure can induce significant strain in the lightemitting structure. Krames et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,683,327 B2 disclosea light emitting device including a nucleation layer containingaluminum. The thickness and aluminum composition of the nucleation layerare selected to match the index of refraction of the substrate anddevice layers, such that 90% of light from the device layers incident onthe nucleation layer is extracted into the substrate. One disadvantageof this method is that it is hard to grow in vapor phase light emittingstructures above such a nucleation layer, having thickness required toprovide effective light diffusion, without deteriorating structuralquality of above grown layers. Thibeault et al in U.S. Pat. No.6,821,804 B2 disclose several solutions based on creation of arrays oflight extraction elements formed either within the structure or on thesubstrate prior to epitaxial growth. The array of light extractionelements are formed to provide a spatially varying index of refraction,so that light trapped within a waveguide interacts with the arrays,changes direction of propagation and can escape the light emittingdevice. These solutions improve significantly capability of light to beemitted from the structure; however inclusions of foreign materials canintroduce additional defects in structure layers. Another proposedsolution is insertion of disperser layers formed either within thestructure or on the substrate prior to epitaxial growth. However toprovide refractive index difference large enough for effective lightrefraction, a layer made of nitrides of group III metals should havethickness and composition, which can introduce significant additionalstrains in the structure. Shen et al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,903,376 B2disclose a light emitting device, which includes light emitting regionand a reflective contact separated from the light emitting region by oneor more layers. The separation between the light emitting region and thereflective contact is between 0.5λ_(n) and 0.9λ_(n) or between λ_(n) and1.4λ_(n), etc, where λ_(n) is the wavelength of light emitted from thelight emitting region in an area of the device separating the lightemitting region and the reflective contact. According to the invention,light extraction efficiency of top-side flux as a function of theseparation distance has maximums at certain values, because of the phaseshift of light reflected from the reflective contact and interference oflight directly emitted from the light emitting region and reflected fromthe contact. In fact, however, this phenomenon is efficient for thinsingle quantum well regions, but less pronounced in case of complexlight emitting regions having several quantum wells. One commondisadvantage of all the described in situ methods is that they result inadditional strains in the structure with consequent increase of defectdensity.

As one of the latest solutions, Lee et al in US patent application2005/0082546 A1 disclose a method, which includes formation of asubstrate having at least one protruded portion with a curved surface,in which uniform stress distribution can be obtained. The deviceprovides improved light extraction, while saving consistent defectdensity in the structure. One disadvantage of this method is that,although it provides effective light diffusion, it requires complicatedmanufacturing process, including ex-situ operations.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to eliminate the above-referreddisadvantages of the prior art.

Specifically, the purpose of the invention is to disclose a new type ofsemiconductor structure with enhanced light diffusion capability withoutformation of additional strain-induced dislocations, resulting in highlyincreased brightness of light emitting devices utilizing thesemiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure being formed ofnitrides of group III metals having wurtzite crystal structure and grownin vapor phase on an (0001) oriented substrate formed either of thesemiconductor structure materials or of foreign materials.

It is also the purpose of the invention to disclose a new, effective andwell controllable entirely in situ method for manufacturing asemiconductor structure of the type described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The semiconductor structure in accordance with the present invention ischaracterized by what is presented by claim 1. The structure is formedof nitrides of group III metals having wurtzite crystal structure andgrown in vapor phase on an (0001) oriented semiconductor substrate. Thesubstrate can be formed either of materials of the semiconductorstructure or of some foreign materials. The semiconductor structurecomprises a bottom cladding layer and a top cladding layer with a flatupper surface grown above the bottom cladding layer, the latticeconstant of the top cladding layer being the same as that of the bottomcladding layer. Different lattice constants of the cladding layers couldcause formation of strain-induced dislocations in the structure. Anessential part of the structure is a diffusion region positioned betweenthe bottom cladding layer and the top cladding layer for diffusing lightpropagating within the semiconductor structure. The diffusion region hasa refractive index different from those of the cladding layers andnon-flat surfaces in order to form light diffusing interfaces betweenthe diffusion region and the cladding layers. Non-flat surfaces providediffusing interfaces of different directions. These kind of surfacesmake the light rays emitted by light emitting device layers grown abovethe structure randomly change their propagation directions, thusimproving their probability to have a direction in which escaping fromthe device is possible. As result, brightness of the light emittingdevice is improved. The non-flat upper surface of the diffusion regionis transformed to a flat surface during growth of the top claddinglayer. Such a flat surface is well suitable for further epitaxialgrowing of light emitting device layers on it. As used in this document,the term “layer” generally refers to a single crystal epitaxial layer.The term “diffusion” refers to all kind of mechanisms changing thedirection of propagation of light at the interfaces, includingreflection, scattering and refraction.

According to the present invention, said diffusion region comprises aplurality of diffusion layers, compositions and thicknesses of thediffusion layers having been chosen to avoid formation of strain-induceddislocations in the diffusion region. Preferably, each of the diffuselayers has non-flat surfaces in order to maximize the diffusionefficiency. Avoiding formation of dislocations is very important becausedislocations could cause degradation of the properties of light emittingdevice layers later grown on the semiconductor structure. Avoidingdislocations can be realized by providing effective strain relaxationwithin the structure. In addition, in accordance of the presentinvention, the refractive index of adjacent diffusion layers aredifferent in order to further enhance the diffusion efficiency viaincreased number of diffusing layer interfaces. The total thickness ofthe diffusion region is chosen to provide effective light diffusion. Thebigger is the difference in refractive indices of the diffusion andcladding layers, the smaller is the required total diffusion regionthickness. The structure of the present invention provides enhancedlight diffusing capability resulting in highly increased brightness of alight emitting device grown on top of the structure without introducingadditional dislocations in the layers. This is a great development stepcompared to the prior art substrates with light diffusion provided byinsertion of a single diffusing layer.

The basic idea of the invention is applicable to different materials. Inone embodiment said nitrides of group III metals are of the formAl_(x)Ga_(1-x-y)In_(y)N, wherein 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1.

In one preferred embodiment said bottom and top cladding layers are ofthe same material. In this case, the diffusion layers are preferablylattice matched to the cladding layers. Thus insertion of the diffusionregion does not lead to generation of elastic misfit stresses in thelayers, and no misfit dislocations are formed at the layer interfaces.Another alternative is that the diffusion layers are lattice mismatchedto the bottom and the top cladding layers and thickness of eachindividual diffusion layer is smaller than the Matthews-Blakesleecritical thickness, which is the maximum thickness for adislocation-free layer. Theory behind the Matthews-Blakeslee criticalthickness will be explained later in this document. In addition, in thisembodiment one of two adjacent diffusion layers has a positive and theother a negative lattice misfit to the cladding layers in order to avoidstrain accumulation in the diffusion region. This feature together withsaid thickness limitation below the Matthews-Blakeslee criticalthickness makes it possible to have a diffusion region with a sufficientthickness without additional strain-induced dislocations. For example, astack consisting of pairs of first and second diffusion layers withequal thicknesses and having opposite lattice misfits of the sameamplitude has a zero total strain.

In one special, preferred embodiment the bottom cladding layer and thediffuse layers have upper surfaces with facets having crystallographicindices other than (0001) and those of the type {1 100}. Thus thediffusion region reproduces the facets on the upper surface of thebottom cladding layer. This kind of structure having specific inclinedfacets results in effective light diffusion.

The method of the present invention of manufacturing a semiconductorstructure is characterized by what is presented in claim 7. Thestructure is formed of nitrides of group III metals having wurtzitecrystal structure and grown in vapor phase on a (0001) orientedsemiconductor substrate, which can be formed either of the semiconductorstructure materials or of foreign materials. After placing the substrateinto a reactor, the method first comprises a step of growing in vaporphase a bottom cladding layer. After this there is a step of growing invapor phase a diffusion region above the bottom cladding layer fordiffusing light propagating within the semiconductor structure, thediffusion region having a refractive index different from that of thebottom cladding layer and non-flat surfaces. The method finallycomprises a step of growing in vapor phase a top cladding layer abovethe diffusion region, the top cladding layer having a flat uppersurface, refractive index different from that of the diffusion region,and a lattice constant the same as that of the bottom cladding layer.The vapor-phase growth processes can be executed with a vapor phaseepitaxy reactor based for example on metal organic vapor-phase epitaxyor hydride vapor-phase epitaxy.

According to the present invention, the growing of the diffusion regioncomprises steps of growing a plurality of diffusion layers, compositionsand thicknesses of the diffusion layers having been chosen to avoidformation of strain-induced dislocations in the layer interfaces, andadjacent diffusion layers having different refractive indices in orderto further enhance the diffusion efficiency. Thus, the method of thepresent invention, in contrast to the methods disclosed in prior artutilizing insertion of a single diffusing layer, targets efficient lightdiffusion in the structure without introducing additional dislocationsin the layers.

Preferably, said nitrides of group III metals are of the formAl_(x)Ga_(1-x-y)In_(y)N, wherein 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1.

In one preferred embodiment bottom and top cladding layers are of thesame material. In this case it is preferable to grow diffuse layershaving lattice constants the same as that of the cladding layers. Thenno strain is generated in the layer interfaces and thus nostrain-induced dislocations are developed. It is also possible to growdiffusion layers having lattice constants different from that of thecladding layers, each of them having a thickness smaller than theMatthews-Blakeslee critical thickness, and one of two adjacent diffusionlayers having a lattice constant greater and the other a latticeconstant smaller than that of the cladding layers. In this case strainis generated in the layers due to the lattice mismatch. However,dislocations are avoided by choosing the layer thicknesses being belowsaid Matthews-Blakeslee critical thickness and choosing adjacentdiffusion layers having opposite lattice misfits to the cladding layersin order to avoid accumulation of strain. The Matthews-Blakesleecritical thickness, which is the maximum thickness for adislocation-free layer, is discussed in more detail later in thisdocument.

In one special, preferred embodiment bottom cladding layer and diffuselayers are grown which have upper surfaces with facets havingcrystallographic indices other than (0001) and those of the type {1100}. Thus the diffusion region reproduces the facets on the uppersurface of the bottom cladding layer. This kind of structure havingspecific inclined facets results in effective light diffusion. Growth ofthe facets of the bottom cladding layer and the diffuse region can beachieved by utilizing preferential growing of these facets. As is knownfor those skilled in the art, it is possible to choose the processparameters such as e.g. time, gas flows, temperature and pressure toproduce growth of facets with these crystallographic indexes. However,each reactor has its own individualistic parameters so that no genericset of parameter values can be given. Respectively, the top claddinglayer with a flat upper surface can be produced by preferential growingof plane facets with crystallographic index (0001).

The growing of the bottom cladding layer having said facets on its uppersurface comprises preferably a step of formation of precipitates (14) ona (0001) oriented surface, said precipitates having a height of 0.1-1.5μm and surface density of 10⁷-10⁸ cm⁻². Formation of precipitates is ausual phenomenon during the initial stages of growing a layer ofnitrides of group III metals on an (0001) oriented surface. Theprecipitates usually have a pyramidal shape having said facets. Byproducing precipitates having said particular properties it is assuredthat sufficient large facets suitable for further preferential growingof the diffusion layers are provided. In general, the precipitates areformed during low-temperature deposition of the material with subsequentrecrystallization at higher temperature. However, such techniquetypically results in forming a number of small precipitates with highdensity tending to merge before reaching the required height. Accordingto the present invention, preferably, but not exclusively, theprecipitates are formed during a sequence of short low-temperaturedepositions, performed in temperature range of 450-700° C., followed byhigh-temperature layer annealing periods, performed in temperature rangeof 900-1150° C. Accurate temperatures depend on the materials andreactor type used. Duration of said short low-temperature depositionscan be e.g. some dozens of seconds. During each annealing a part ofdeposited material is removed from the surface. Process parametersduring annealing, such as temperature gradient and annealing time, arechosen to totally remove small precipitates while save large ones. Inresult, the dominant growth of only the largest precipitates occurs. Theprecipitates can be grown directly on the (0001) oriented semiconductorsubstrate. It is also possible to first grow a part of the bottom layerhaving a (0001) surface and grow the precipitates on that surface.

The whole method of the present invention can be executed by in situprocess steps in contrast to many of the prior art methods involvingunwanted and complicated ex situ phases.

An important feature of the invention described above is that insertionof thick enough diffusion region does not introduce additionaldislocations in the layers. In general the insertion of latticemismatched layers leads to substantial crystal lattice mismatch betweenthe layers resulting in the generation of elastic misfit stresses(tension or compression) in the layers. These stresses can relax viaformation of misfit dislocations at the interfaces. In the majority ofcases the misfit dislocations are associated with threadingdislocations, which are concomitant to misfit dislocations but havetheir lines going through the film to the free surface. The threadingdislocations are harmful for device performance. The optimal solution isto provide effective light diffusion without introducing additionaldislocations in the layers. It is known to those skilled in the art thatgeneration of dislocations does not occur, in case thickness of thelattice mismatched layers is less than the Matthews-Blakeslee criticalthickness h_(c) for misfit dislocation generation. The criticalthickness may be derived by considering the energetic of a combinedthreading/misfit dislocation configuration in a stressed film and can beapproximately assumed as h_(c)≈b/ε_(m), where b is the magnitude of thedislocation Burgers vector and ε_(m) is the misfit parameter. Fornitrides of group III metals having wurtzite crystal structure, thepossible Burgers vectors include the ±σ and ±a_(i) (i=1, 2, 3) latticetranslation vectors and their sums ±σ±a_(i). The c-translation is largerthan the a-translation, giving the expression for the critical thicknessh_(c)≈a/ε_(m)=a²/Δa, where a is the in-plane lattice constant, Δa is thedifference of in-plane lattice constants of the layers.

As a summary, several advantages in comparison to the prior art can beachieved with the present invention. A structure with effective lightdiffusion capability can be realized with a reasonable low diffusionregion thickness and without causing harmful dislocations. Themanufacturing process comprises in situ process steps only which makesthe process very convenient and allows high production rate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and constitute a part of thisspecification, illustrate embodiments of the invention as well as priorart examples and together with the description help to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross sectional view of a semiconductorstructure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 represents schematic cross sectional of substrates grown by priorart methods.

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the method of the present invention as aflow chart.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments and examplesrelating to the present invention, which are illustrated in theaccompanying figures.

The semiconductor structure 1 of FIG. 1 comprises a substrate 2 formedof the semiconductor structure materials or substrate 3 formed offoreign materials, a bottom cladding layer 4 with a surface 8 havingfacets 11 with crystallographic indexes other than (0001) and those ofthe type {1 100}, a top cladding layer 5 with flat surface 9, and adiffusion region consisting of two pairs of first diffusion layer 6 andsecond diffusion layer 7. Dashed line shows the precipitates 14 grownduring the growing of the bottom cladding layer. The top cladding layerhas a lattice constant equal to that of the bottom cladding layer. Thediffusion layers have refractive indices different from those of thecladding layers. In addition, the refractive index of the firstdiffusion layers 6 is different from that of the second diffusion layers7. The first diffusion layers 6 can have different indices ofrefraction. This can be the case also with the second diffusion layers7. The diffusion layers 6 and 7 are not flat, but they reproduce thefacets 11 on the surface of the bottom cladding layer. Compositions andthicknesses of the diffusion layers 6 and 7 have been chosen to provideeffective strain relaxation inside the structure 1 without formation ofmisfit dislocations at the layer interfaces. More accurately, each ofthe diffusion layers has a thickness smaller than the Matthews-Blakesleecritical thickness. Moreover, the first and the second diffusion layersof equal thicknesses have opposite lattice misfits of the same amplitudeto the cladding layers. Direction of the strain in each layer isillustrated by arrows. Opposite strains compensate each other, therebypreventing accumulation of strain. The total thickness of the diffusionregion has been chosen to provide effective light diffusion. The biggeris the difference in refractive indices of the diffusion and claddinglayers, the smaller is the required total diffusion region thickness.The semiconductor structure 1 provides enhanced light diffusioncapability without introducing additional dislocations in the layers. Inaddition, the top cladding layer Surface 9 forming the semiconductorstructure surface is of high crystalline quality and as such wellsuitable for further growing of the device layers.

Prior art in situ solutions illustrated in FIG. 2 provide lightdiffusion either by growing of an intermediate single crystal epitaxialsemiconductor layer 12 with index of refraction and lattice constantbeing different from those in the bottom and the top layers (FIG. 2 a)or by insertion of inclusions of amorphous material 13 (FIG. 2 b). As isseen in FIG. 2 a, the thickness of a single layer should be thin inorder to avoid formation of strain-induced dislocations. This leads toinefficient diffusion. The structure of FIG. 2 b, though improving lightdiffusion in the structure, results in generation of elastic misfitstresses in the layers and formation of misfit dislocations at theinterfaces. Other prior art methods necessitate ex situ process steps,which complicate the manufacturing process.

The manufacturing method according to one of the embodiments of thepresent invention illustrated in FIG. 3 has three main steps. At first,a bottom cladding layer is grown. The second step is growing a pluralityof at least two pairs of first and second diffusion layers with facetson the surfaces, characterized by crystallographic indexes other than(0001) and those of the type {1 100}, the refractive index of the firstdiffusion layers being different from that of the second diffusionlayers. First diffusion layers have a positive lattice misfit to thecladding layers, while the second diffusion layers have a negativelattice misfit, preferably of the same amplitude. Thickness of eachindividual diffusion layer is preferably smaller than theMatthews-Blakeslee critical thickness h_(c) for avoiding misfitdislocation generation. The third step is growing a top cladding layerwith flat surface, the layer being of the same material as the bottomcladding layer. The method provides growth of a semiconductor structurewith efficient light diffusion without introducing additionaldislocations in the layers.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancementof technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented invarious ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited tothe examples described above; instead they may vary within the scope ofthe claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. (canceled)
 5. (canceled) 6.(canceled)
 7. A semiconductor structure (1) according to claim 3,characterized in that the diffusion layers (6,7) are lattice to thecladding layers (4,5).
 8. A semiconductor structure (1) according toclaim 3, characterized in that the diffusion layers (6,7) are latticemismatched to the bottom and the top cladding layers (4,5), thickness ofeach diffusion layer is smaller than the Matthews-Blakeslee criticalthickness, and one of two adjacent diffusion layers have a positive andthe other a negative lattice misfit to the cladding layers (4,5) inorder to avoid strain accumulation in the diffusion layers.
 9. Asemiconductor structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe bottom cladding layer and the diffusion layers have upper surfaceswith facets having crystallographic indices other than (0001) and thoseof the type {1 100}.
 10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductorstructure (1) formed of nitrides of group III metals having wurtzitecrystal structure and grown in vapor phase on a (0001) orientedsemiconductor substrate (2,3), the method comprising steps of growing invapor phase a bottom cladding layer (4); growing in vapor phase adiffusion region (6,7) above the bottom cladding layer for diffusinglight propagating within the semiconductor structure (1), the diffusionregion having a refractive index different from that of the bottomcladding layer and non-flat surfaces; and growing in vapor phase a topcladding layer (5) above the diffusion region, the top cladding layerhaving a flat upper surface (9), a refractive index different from thatof the diffusion region, and a lattice constant the same as that of thebottom cladding layer, characterized in that the growing of thediffusion region comprises steps of growing a plurality of diffusionlayers (6,7), compositions and thicknesses of the diffusion layershaving been chosen to avoid formation of strain-induced dislocations inthe layer interfaces, and adjacent diffusion layers (6,7) havingdifferent refractive indices in order to further enhance the diffusionefficiency.
 11. A method according to claim 7, characterized in thatsaid nitrides are of the form Al_(x)Ga_(1-x-y)In_(y)N, w herein 0≦x≦1and 0≦y≦1.
 12. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that saidbottom and top cladding layers are of the same material.
 13. A methodaccording to claim 9, characterized in that diffusion layers (6,7) aregrown having lattice constants the same as that of the cladding layers(4,5).
 14. A method according to claim 9, characterized in thatdiffusion layers (6,7) are grown, each of them having a lattice constantdifferent from that of the cladding layers (4,5), a thickness smallerthan the Matthews-Blakeslee critical thickness, and one of two adjacentdiffusion layers (6,7) having a lattice constant greater and the other alattice constant smaller than that of the cladding layers (4,5) in orderto avoid strain accumulation in the diffusion layers.
 15. A methodaccording to claim 7, characterized in that a bottom cladding layer anddiffusion layers are grown, each of them having an upper surface withfacets having crystallographic indices other than (0001) and those ofthe type {1 100}.
 16. A method according to claim 12, characterized inthat the growing of the bottom cladding layer comprises a step offormation of precipitates (14) on a (0001) oriented surface, saidprecipitates having a height of 0.1-1.5 μm and surface density of10⁷-10⁸ cm⁻². A method according to claim 13, characterized in that saidprecipitates (14) are formed by a process consisting of a sequence ofshort low-temperature depositions, performed in temperature range of450-700° C., followed by high-temperature layer annealing periods,performed in temperature range of 900-1150° C.